The Armenian linguist, historian and translator, member of the Mkhitarist Congregation, Father Ghevond Alishan (1820-1901) stepped into the literary world as a unique poet. Quite expectedly, his poetry drew the attention of Armenian, as well as other composers.

The poem “The Nightingale of Avarayr” (1847) by Alishan has played an important role in the history of Armenian music. Armenian composers addressed the poem both during Alishan’s lifetime and after his death, having created choral a capella pieces for mixed choir. The classic of Armenian music Makar Yekmalyan (1856-1905) wrote a choral work “The Nightingale of Avarayr” in 1899, and years later, Kurken Alemshah (1907-1947) addressed the same poem. 

The choral piece by M. Yekmalyan “The Nightingale of Avarayr”, that had fallen into oblivion after the composer’s death, was brought back to life in 1963 thanks to the efforts of the young conductor Ohannes Tchekidjian. After the Yerevan debut, “The Nightingale of Avarayr” has taken its solid place in the repertoire of the National Academic Choir of Armenia, and to date, it lives a full-fledged concert life, having become one of the signatures of Maestro Tchekidjian and the Armenian Capella.

Yekmalyan’s “Nightingale” paved the way for new musical pieces. Thus, Grigor Syuni wrote an a capella choral work, while owing to Alexander Harutyunyan, the “Nightingale” became part of instrumental music: the composer used the tune of Yekmalyan’s “Nightingale” in the prelude to his rhapsody “Our Old Songs” (1974).